Thill-coupling



Patented Feb. 28, |899.

No. 620,|88. l

lNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAY C. SEYMOUR, OF ASHTON, SOUTH DAKOTA.

THILL-coUPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,188, dated February 28, 1899. Application led March 14, 1898. Serial No. 673,815. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAY C. SEYMOUR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ashton, in the county of Spink and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and useful Thill- Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in thill-couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of thill-couplings and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efcient device adapted to enable a pole or a pair of thills to be quickly connected to and uncoupled from a vehicle, so that the latter may be readily changed from a pole to a pair of thills, or vice versa.

A further object of the invention is to provide a thill-coupling which will possess great strength and durability and insure perfect safety and prevent a pair of thills or a pole from becoming accidentally uncoupled and serve as an antirattler.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a thill-coupling constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig.4 is a detail perspective view of the pivot, showing the lower face thereof and :illustrating the arrangement of the antirattler-spring.

Like numerals of 'reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates an axle-clip provided at one side with a forwardly-extending arm 2, formed integral with the clip and carrying a pivot 3, which is rigid with the arm and preferably formed integral therewith. The axle-clip is provided at its other side with a substantially L-shaped arm 4, arranged horizontally and extending rearward and receiving a plate 5, which is adapted to confine the eye of a thilliron 7 on the pivot 3. The arm 4 is rounded, and its outer portion is slightly curved, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, to enable the' plate 5, which is pro- 4, to be readily removed therefrom. The

plate has its inner portion fitting against one side of the axle-clip, and its outer or front portion is provided with an opening 9, through which passes the-pivot 3, and the latter is extended beyond the plate 5. The extended portion of the pivot is provided with perforations 10, and the plate 5 is retained on the pivot by a key l1, passing through one of the perforations. The perforations are provided for the purpose of enabling the plate to be adjusted to accommodate the device to the width of the eyes of a pair of thills and a tongue or pole.

The axle-clip is slightly enlarged at its front portion adjacent'y to the arm 2, and it is secured to an axle by means of aclip-plate 13 and nuts 14, arranged on the depending threaded portions of the clip in the ordinary man-ner.

The transverse pivot 3 is provided at its lower face with a longitudinal groove 15, adapted to receive a spring 16, secured at one end in the groove, near the outer end of the pivot, by a fastening device 17 and having its other end free and being bowed outward, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings. Theportion of the spring adjacent to the fastening device is arranged at an angle to the pivot when the eye of the thilliron is not on the same, and when the said eye is placed on the pivot it is adapted to compress the spring readily in the groove. If the parts become worn, the spring' is adapted to hold the eye tightly against the pivot and prevent the device from rattling.

The invention has the following advantages: The thill-couplingis simple, inexpeni sive, and durable, and it will enable the eye of a pole or a pair of thills to be readily dis connected from a vehicle by simply withdrawing the key, and when the key is in place there is no liability of the parts becoming accidentally uncoupled. The -plate is adapted to be readily arranged on the arm of the axle-clip, and the end of the pivot and the spring form an efficient antirattler.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What I claim is- ICO ro 4 and the outer end of the transverse pivot,

and a fastening device mounted on the transverse pivot and securing the side plate thereon, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAY C. SEYMOUR.

Witnesses:

W. W. BOYER EARL BROWN. 

